Hugh R. Grant of TreeMakers Design and Jarryd Bailey of Montane Bonsai have long been best friends, brought together by a shared passion for bonsai and the wilderness, AKA the bush. With a lens of self-humor, the two reflect on Australian bonsai and what it means to be bonsai professionals… sorta.
After another long gap between episodes, Hugh and Jarryd sit down for a much-needed catch-up. They talk about Jarryd’s studio build-out, Hugh’s ongoing garden excavation, recent gallery events and collaborations, and what’s been happening in their bonsai gardens.
The conversation wanders through good rocks and stone stacking, DIY projects, fertilising routines, and the parallels between building garden infrastructure and building bonsai. Along the way they share a few garden mistakes, compare notes on pacing and routine, and reflect on the ongoing experience of committing to bonsai.Hugh's Dr Green Thumb - https://treemakers.com.au/store-all/p/greenspace-liquid-fertiliser
Love the podcast? You can support us here and 'buy us a coffee' https://buymeacoffee.com/bonsaisidequest
Hugh Grant - Tree Makers https://treemakers.com.au/
Jarryd Bailey - Montane Bonsai https://www.montanebonsai.com/
Eve Sczechowski - Yves Media https://www.yvesfilm.com/
29 Dec 2025
45. The Not Gross Grose Valley
In this outdoor, in-the-wild recording of A Bonsai Side Quest, Hugh and Jarryd come to you perched from a sandstone outcrop in the Blue Mountains, with beer cans in hand. They discuss the views and the species you can't see (become a Bonsai Side-Quester to view: https://buymeacoffee.com/bonsaisidequest), being in the wild to seek bonsai inspiration, and embracing one's micro environment locality in their practice.
Love the podcast? You can support us here and 'buy us a coffee' https://buymeacoffee.com/bonsaisidequest
Hugh Grant - Tree Makers https://treemakers.com.au/
Jarryd Bailey - Montane Bonsai https://www.montanebonsai.com/
Eve Sczechowski - Yves Media https://www.yvesfilm.com/
13 Nov 2025
44. Hooned it up the Mountains in Copper Foil Hats
For this episode, Jarryd visits Hugh at Tree Makers Bonsai Studio in the Blue Mountains after completing some BSA events in Sydney. They catch up on their activities of the past month and discuss Jarryd's demo Nothofagus styling (with some bloodshed), collecting trips, the opening of the Tondoon Botanic Gardens Bonsai collection, weather updates, the seasonal challenges, hardscaping maintenance, and wire materials.
Love the podcast? You can support us here and 'buy us a coffee' https://buymeacoffee.com/bonsaisidequest
Hugh Grant - Tree Makers https://treemakers.com.au/
Jarryd Bailey - Montane Bonsai https://www.montanebonsai.com/
Eve Sczechowski - Yves Media https://www.yvesfilm.com/
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
5 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
31 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 34 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
37
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
77
Contact A Bonsai Side Quest
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Questions about A Bonsai Side Quest
Who hosts A Bonsai Side Quest?
Hugh Grant and Jarryd Bailey host the show. Published by TreeMakers & Montane Bonsai.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes weekly, based on its RSS feed.
Does A Bonsai Side Quest take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
Host of A Bonsai Side Quest?
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